Method for assembling structural components and related attachment apparatus

ABSTRACT

A manufacturing assembly includes a frame that is formed by at least one first structural component secured to one end of at least one box beam. A first attachment plate is attached to the first structural component, the attachment plate having a plurality of tongues while a second attachment plate is attached to the end of the at least one box beam. The second attachment plate includes a plurality of grooves for receiving the tongues of the first attachment plate so as to permit locking interconnection therebetween.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of manufacturing assemblies, and in particular to an improved manufacturing assembly for interconnecting orthogonally or other arranged structural components, such as those used as part of a freestanding display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are known manufacturing assemblies as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,448 such as a freestanding display that includes the interconnection of a plurality of structural components. More particularly, this display includes a first structural component in the form of a pair of vertical support legs and a second structural component in the form of a horizontal support beam that is used to retain a number of sliding panels for use in scheduling or calendaring boards such as found on large assembly shop floors.

The above noted '448 patent has improved the design of the structural components to aid in reducing the weight of the overall assembly by an improved box beam construction without materially degrading the structural capability of the components to support the sliding panels.

However, the assembly of the horizontal support beams to each of the orthogonally arranged vertical support legs is somewhat cumbersome in that a number of fasteners must be attached through the exterior facing side of the legs and aligned to be fitted within small defined slots that are formed in the end of the box beam. This assembly is very time consuming and is not aesthetically pleasing given the appearance of the exterior fasteners and a heightened need for part tolerancing in order to permit the fasteners to adequately secure the structural components together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to avoid the above-noted deficiencies of the prior art.

It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing assembly that improves the assembly time between at least two orthogonally oriented structural components of a manufacturing assembly, such as those provided for a freestanding display, such as those utilizing scheduling and/or calendaring boards.

It is yet another primary object of the present invention to provide a simplified technique for interconnecting structural components of manufacturing assemblies, such as those that are noted above.

Therefore and according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a freestanding display comprising a frame formed by a pair of vertically disposed legs secured to opposing ends of at least one box beam, a first attachment plate attached to the exterior of one of said legs, said first attachment plate including a plurality of tongues, and a second attachment plate attached to an open end of said at least one box beam having a corresponding plurality of grooves for engaging with the tongues of said first attachment plate for securing said structural components together. Preferably, the tongues include engagement portions that fit into the grooves to permit locking interconnection without sophisticated alignment techniques.

According to another preferred version of the present invention, there is provided a pair of attachment plates for use in interconnecting a pair of structural components, said pair of attachment plates comprising a first attachment plate and a second attachment plate, said first attachment plate having a plurality of tongues for engaging a corresponding number of grooves provided in the other of said attachment plates to provide interconnection when each of said plates are first attached to a corresponding structural component.

According to yet another preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for assembling structural components, the method including the steps of securing a first attachment plate to a first structural component, said first attachment plate including a plurality of tongues; securing a second attachment plate to a second structural component, said second attachment plate including a plurality of grooves; and aligning the grooves of said second attachment plate with the tongues of said first attachment plate and sliding said tongues into the grooves to provide an interconnecting fit therebetween.

Preferably, the attachment plates can be secured to the structural components using fasteners wherein the plates include slotted areas in order to receive the heads of the fasteners used to secure the opposing attachment plate permitting intimate contact therebetween.

The attachment plates can be made from a single planar member or can be constructed from interconnecting members to permit versatility in use, depending, for example, on the size of the manufacturing assembly.

An advantage of the present invention is that assembly time is improved between structural components, such as those described above.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the herein described assembly technique is simpler than any previously known technique, requiring literally no training.

In addition, there is no longer a need for access holes on the outside (exterior) surface of the assembly, providing a cleaner more aesthetic look to the finished assembled product.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become readily apparent from the following Detailed Description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the invention can be better understood with reference to the drawings described below, and the claims. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known freestanding display;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a first version of a known structural beam component of the freestanding display of FIG. 1, as taken through lines 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a partial assembly of a portion of the freestanding display of FIG. 1, according to a prior art method;

FIG. 4(a) is a side perspective view illustrating the interconnection of a portion of the freestanding display of FIG. 1 using another version of a structural beam component;

FIG. 4(b) is an enlarged view of the end of the structural beam component of FIG. 4(a);

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of a partial assembly of the freestanding display of FIG. 1 made in accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention;

FIGS. 6-8 are side views, partially in section, illustrating the interconnection of structural beam components of the assembly of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an attachment plate used for the manufacturing assembly of FIGS. 5-8; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another attachment plate used for the manufacturing assembly of FIGS. 5-8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description relates to a preferred manufacturing assembly for an existing freestanding display, and more particularly between at least one horizontal beam member and a vertical support leg of the display. It will be readily apparent to one of sufficient skill in the field, however, that the following method and apparatus can be applied to numerous other manufacturing assemblies that include the interconnection of at least two structural components. In addition and throughout the discussion that follows, a number of terms are used in order to provide a suitable frame of reference for the accompanying drawings, including “horizontal”, “vertical”, “width”, “height”, “top”, “bottom”, “lateral”, “side”, and the like. It will be readily apparent, however, that such terms should not be viewed as overly limiting of the present invention, except where so specifically indicated.

Referring to FIG. 1, a freestanding display 10 is shown having a support frame 12 for supporting sliding display boards 14 and 16, respectively. Each display board 14 and 16 includes a handle 18 and 20, respectively, for facilitating movement of the boards relative to the support frame 12 and to each other. The freestanding display 10 could also only have a single board in a fixed position or alternatively include a plurality of display boards (e.g., four or more). Support frame 12 includes a pair of upstanding legs 22 and 24 respectively, which are preferably, but not necessarily, of box beam construction. Joined substantially perpendicularly to and between legs 22 and 24 are a bottom horizontal beam 26 and a top horizontal beam 28. Legs 22, 26 and beams 26, 28 are all preferably formed by composite beam construction.

Using horizontal beam 26 as exemplary, this beam as a composite uses a first channel section 30 and a second channel section 32, each of the sections being substantially “V-shaped” in cross-section. Channel sections 30, 32 are joined by a central section 34.

While it is important that the bottom horizontal beam 26 and the top horizontal beam 28 of the herein described freestanding display 10 be formed of composite construction to provide adequate strength over extended spans, composite construction of legs 22, 24 is not necessary provided that the overall width of the legs remain at the least equal to or greater than the width of the top and bottom horizontal beams. The height of the legs 22, 26 generally ranges between about six and eight feet, therefore, there is less concern of axial deflection of these beams as compared to the top and bottom horizontal beams 26, 28. However, it should be noted that as the span of the beams 26, 28 increases, the weight supported by each of the legs 22, 24 increases. Therefore, the use of a composite design, such as top and bottom beams 26, 28 is desirable.

A cross-section of the bottom beam 26 is provided in FIG. 2. First channel section 30 is shown having a top wall 36, a bottom wall 38 and an end wall 40. Likewise, second channel section 32 includes a top wall 64, a bottom wall 66 and an end wall 68. Each of the top wall 36 and bottom wall 38 include respective grooves 42, 44.

Grooves 42, 44 are substantially indented, groove 44 including a wall 46 that extends perpendicularly to the bottom wall 38 and inwardly into the channel section to about 0.23 inches. A wall 48 extends perpendicularly to wall 46 outwardly from channel section 30 a distance of about 0.25 inches. A wall 50 joins wall 48 at an angle of about 45° thereto and extends parallel in the opposite direction of wall 46, a distance of 3/16″ and terminates with a perpendicular hook section 54 which extends perpendicularly therefrom toward the wall 46, forming the groove 44 and leaving an opening 58. A nub 60 is formed on the interim side of the wall 50. A V-shaped channel 62 is formed within a chamber 56 between nub 60 and the hook 54. 100331 The top and bottom walls 64, 66, respectively, include substantially identified tongue sections 69, 70. The tongue sections 69, 70 are compatible with and slide into the grooves 42, 44, respectively.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the central section 34 includes top and bottom plates 82, 84, respectively. Each of the plates 82, 84 includes a tongue section 86 as one end and a groove section at a remaining end. The central section 34 includes a cell of corrugated honeycombed reinforcing material 90 extending between the top plate 82 and the bottom plate 84. The preferred corrugated honeycombed reinforcing material 90 is preferably formed of kraft paper, such as that commonly found in cardboard boxes. This honeycomb cell extends from and is fixed against movement relative to the plates 82, 84, thereby providing a rigid though lightweight central section. Preferably, the honeycomb material 90 is covered by thick paper or cardboard 92 on its faces extending between the corrugated material and the top and bottom plates 82, 84, and is securely jointed to the top and bottom plates by a suitable adhesive, such as a wet or contact adhesive that adheres the paper 92 to the plates 82, 84.

The tongue section 70 includes an “I”-shaped section having a pair of bars 72, 74 which extend in a direction which is parallel to that of the bottom wall 66, each of bars 72, 74 being connected by a bar 76. Bars 72, 74 together with bar 76 combine to form a pair of “V”-shaped channels 78, 80. Channel 80 combines with channel 62 of the groove 44 to form a rectangular open box 81, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein a plurality of said open boxes are formed.

Additional details relating to the manufacture of the composite beam and the freestanding display 10 are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,448, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Referring to FIG. 3, a prior art technique of attaching one end of the bottom beam 26 to the vertical supporting leg 22 of the manufacturing assembly is shown. It will be readily apparent from the discussion that the opposite end of the beam 26 similarly interconnects with the leg 24 and that the top beam 28 is also similarly attached to each of the legs 22, 24.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of the connection of leg 22 and bottom beam 26 which are joined by four (4) fastening screws 110 which pass through holes 110 in the leg 22 and join with the rectangular boxes 81 as previously described with respect to FIG. 2. Additional details are provided in the previously cross-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,448. This technique requires extensive time and setup to complete in order to effectively align the rectangular boxes 81 with the fastener holes 110.

An alternative composite beam design is herein briefly described with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). A pair of beams 96, 98 that are representative of the vertical leg and the bottom of the previously described freestanding display, respectively, is shown in FIG. 4(a). Each of the beams 96, 98, according to this alternative design, commonly include a pair of central sections 100, 101 in lieu of the single central section that was previously defined in the preceding embodiment. In order to maintain the same size in terms of the overall dimensions of the box beam, a pair of smaller (e.g., thinner) end channel sections 102, 104 are employed about the central sections 100, 101 that are sandwiched therebetween. In this manner, a larger (e.g., wider) cardboard paper cell 106 is utilized to fill in the central sections 100, 101 for each beam 96, 98, providing greater strength. Employment of this structural component design for the beams 96, 98 further includes a plurality of rectangular boxes 105 that are formed at the ends thereof in the same manner as the preceding beam design due to the interconnection of the preceding channel sections 100, 101, 102, 104 into a single member. Due to the addition of an additional central section and the smaller width of the end channel sections 102, 104, however, two (2) additional rectangular boxes 105 are provided and therefore six rectangular boxes in total, each of the boxes providing means for receiving a fastener as previously described. Four (4) of the rectangular boxes 105 of the herein described beam design are provided adjacent the outer portions of each beam while the remaining two (2) rectangular boxes 105 are more or less defined at the center of each beam, at the top and bottom thereof.

Turning to FIG. 5 and with the preceding background of an overall freestanding display, there is depicted an improved manufacturing assembly between a top or bottom horizontal beam and a vertical support leg of the display. As noted and for purposes of this discussion, beam members 96, 98, such as those shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), are utilized for purposes of this embodiment.

As noted above, the essentials of the composite beam design are unchanged, the beams 96, 98 each including a pair of end channel portions 102, 104 that are built around a pair of central portions 100, 101 having disposed therein a substantially wide cell of honeycomb reinforcing material 106.

Referring to FIGS. 4(a)-10 it should be noted that exterior mounted fasteners, as previously shown in FIG. 3, are not used to interconnect the two structural components 96, 98. The preceding, as previously noted, is difficult to align with the horizontally disposed beam 98, on attachment thereof, and require fairly precise tolerancing. Therefore, the improved manufacturing assembly includes a pair of attachment plates; namely, a first attachment plate 120 and a second attachment plate 124, that are attached to a lateral interfacing portion of the vertical support leg 98 and to the open box end 99 of the horizontally disposed bottom beam 96, respectively.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 specifically, each of the first and second attachment plates 120, 124 are now described in greater detail. Preferably, each attachment plate is preferably made from cold rolled steel and is a single planar member or can be multiple interconnecting members, each having a thickness of about 0.090 inches. What is meant by the preceding is that each of the attachment plates 120, 124 can be made from a single planar section or can be built in interlocking planar sections, as is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in order to accommodate different widths and facilitate manufacturing. For purposes of the discussion that follows, however, each of the plates 120, 124 shall be considered as unitary for the sake of better describing their engagement features. In addition, each of the plates includes a width dimension that extends horizontally according to this embodiment and a height dimension that extends vertically.

Referring to FIG. 10, the first attachment plate 120 includes a predetermined number of tongues 128, in this embodiment, four (4) tongues are used, each of which extend outwardly from a facing side 132 of the attachment plate. Each of the tongues 128 is defined by an outwardly extending tab portion 136 that terminates in a substantially vertical engagement hook portion 140. In addition to the tongues 128, there are included a plurality of slotted areas 144, 148. According to this embodiment, three (3) slotted areas 144 are disposed in an upper horizontal row along with two of the tongues 128 while three other slotted areas 148 are disposed in a second parallel lower horizontal row along with the remaining tongues 128. A first series of three (3) fastener holes 152 are provided in a horizontal row adjacent a top edge 156 of the first attachment plate 120. A second parallel series of three (3) fastener holes 153 are provided in a horizontal row defined between the upper and lower horizontal rows having the slotted areas 144 and 148 and tongues 128, respectively. Each of the fastener holes 152, 153 are aligned in vertical rows with the slotted areas 144 and 148 along the height dimension of the plate. Each of the tongues 128 are spaced in relation to one another along the width dimension of the attachment plate 124, the tongues being preferably arranged within the upper and lower horizontal rows between adjacent slotted areas.

The second attachment plate 124, shown in FIG. 9, includes a first pair of grooves 160, 162 arranged in respective upper and lower horizontal rows, each of the grooves being sized for receiving the tongues 128 of the first attachment plate 120. The second attachment plate 124 further includes three (3) additional slotted areas 164 that are defined within a horizontal row defined between the upper and lower horizontal rows with the grooves 160, 162 being spaced between the slotted areas along the width dimension of the plate 124. Additionally, the second attachment plate 124 includes three (3) horizontal rows containing three (3) fastener holes each, 157, 158, 159, respectively, wherein the rows are defined along a top edge of the plate, along a bottom edge of the plate and intermediate between the top edge row and the slotted areas 164. Each of the holes 157, 158, 159 is equally spaced from one another such that three fastener holes from each of the preceding three rows and a slotted area 164 are in successive vertical rows relative to one another. The lower row of grooves 162, according to this embodiment, is formed along a bottom edge of the attachment plate 124, with each of the two grooves being open-ended in the form of a notch. Similarly, the slotted areas 148 of the first attachment plate 120 are also open-ended, as notches adjacent the bottom edge 155 of the plate.

Initially, the second attachment plate 124 is secured to the open end 99 of the box beam 96, with fasteners 170 being added to each of the holes 158 and 159 that are aligned with the six (6) rectangular boxes 105, shown in FIG. 4(b). The first attachment plate 12 is similarly secured to the vertical support leg 96 using fasteners 172 that are attached through holes 153.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8, and once the first and second attachment plates 120, 124 are initially secured to the vertical leg 98 and the beam 96, respectively, the structural components are brought into engagement with one another. The vertical engagement hook portions 140 of the tongues 128 of the first attachment plate 120 are aligned with and then fitted into the matched grooves 160, 162 of the second attachment plate 124, thereby providing locking interconnection between the two structural components 96, 98.

The slotted areas 144, 148, 164, provided in each of the first and second attachment plates 120, 124, permit the use of suitable fasteners 170, 172 that are used to initially secure the attachment plates to the open end 99 of the beam 96 and to the leg 98, respectively. The heads of the fasteners 172 used to secure the first attachment plate 120 to the leg 98 are retained within the slotted areas 164 that are provided in the second attachment plate 124. Likewise, the heads of the fasteners 170 used to secure the second attachment plate 124 to the open end of the beam 96 are retained within the slotted areas 144, 148 provided in the first attachment plate 120. This retention of the fastener heads by each opposing attachment plate 120, 124 permits the plates to be brought directly into contact with one another so as to permit the hook portions 140 of the tongues 128 to fully engage within the grooves 160, 162.

Following the engagement between the respective tongue and groove portions of the first and second attachment plates 120, 124, a set of threaded fasteners 176 are secured into the holes 152, 157 provided in the upper row of the first and second attachment plates, respectively, and extending above the connected structural components. The above holes extend into the vertical support leg 98, thereby finally securing the completed manufacturing assembly. As noted previously, the top beam of the manufacturing assembly and/or other portions of the herein described freestanding display can be interconnected together in a similar manner. 

1. A freestanding display comprising: a frame formed by a pair of vertically disposed legs secured to opposing ends of at least one horizontally disposed box beam member, a first attachment plate secured to the exterior of one of said vertically disposed legs, said first attachment plate including a plurality of tongues, and a second attachment plate secured to an open end of said at least one box beam member, said second attachment plate including a plurality of grooves for receiving said tongues of said first attachment plate to provide interconnection therebetween.
 2. A display as recited in claim 1, wherein said attachment plates are secured to said at least one box beam member and said at least one leg by means of fasteners.
 3. A display as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said attachment plates include slots for receiving the heads of the fasteners of an opposing attachment plate, enabling said plates to be placed in intimate contact with one another.
 4. A display as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second attachment plates comprises multiple interconnecting planar sections.
 5. A display as recited in claim 1, including means for securing said first and second attachment plates together once a tongue and groove engagement has been enabled.
 6. A display as recited in claim 5, wherein said first and second attachment plates include a series of holes adjacent an edge thereof for receiving fasteners to secure said first and second attachment plates after said tongue and groove connection has been enabled.
 7. A display as recited in claim 6, wherein said fasteners securing said first and second attachment plates are further engaged with one of said at least one box beam member and said at least one leg.
 8. A manufacturing assembly comprising: a pair of attachment plates for use in interconnecting at least two structural components, said pair of attachment plates comprising: a first attachment plate and a second attachment plate, each of said plates having means for securing said plate to a structural component of a manufacturing assembly, wherein one of said attachment plates includes a plurality of tongues for engaging a corresponding number of grooves provided in the other of said attachment plates to provide interconnection when each of said plates are first secured to corresponding structural components.
 9. A manufacturing assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said means for securing said attachment plates includes fasteners attached through holes provided in said plate to a said structural component, said attachment plates further including means for receiving the heads of fasteners of an opposing attachment plate to permit intimate contact therebetween.
 10. A manufacturing assembly as recited in claim 8, including means for securing said first and said second attachment plates together once a tongue and groove interconnection has been enabled.
 11. A manufacturing assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one of said first and second attachment plates is made from at least two interconnecting planar members.
 12. A manufacturing assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said structural components are assembled orthogonally to one another in said manufacturing assembly.
 13. A method for assembling structural components, the method including the steps of: securing a first attachment plate to a first structural component, said first attachment plate including a plurality of tongues; securing a second attachment plate to a second structural component, said second attachment plate including a plurality of grooves; aligning the grooves of said second attachment plate with the tongues of said first attachment plate and sliding said tongues into the grooves to provide an interconnecting fit therebetween.
 14. A method as recited in claim 13, including the additional step of securing said first and said second attachment plates together once said tongues have engaged the grooves.
 15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said structural components are box beams.
 16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said structural components are orthogonally oriented relative to one another.
 17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said securing steps include the additional steps of: using fasteners to secure said first attachment plate to said first structural component; using fasteners to secure said second attachment plate to said second structural component; aligning the heads of the fasteners with slots provided on each of the opposing attachment plates to permit said plates to be placed in intimate contact. 